Down the pathway
by Padlei
Summary: Short story in response to the “Write Padmé having another job” challenge on TFN. This is an AU fic about Padmé never entering politics, instead, settling down on Naboo and becoming a teacher. But destiny gets in the way... AP
1. Chapter 1

**Down the pathway**

* * *

  


The wind blew across the small town harshly, giving the place a sinister edge. A silhouette appeared on the deserted street, walking briskly. The woman stopped in front of an old-fashioned building, pulling the heavy coat tighter around her frail form and tightening her grasp on her luggage. The petite brunette shivered, casting the building a dubious glance before entering inside. Looking around at endless corridors, she finally spotted a lone figure in a hallway.

"Excuse me!" she asked, still shaking from the cold.

A humanoid, in his forties, halted, turning around and smiling in the distance.

"Miss Naberrie, we were not expecting you so soon…" the man said softly, approaching her and shaking her cold hand.

She smiled, relieved to see she had not gotten the wrong place after all her detours.

"Please, no 'Miss Naberrie', I'm a married woman." She responded softly.

He looked slightly surprised but did not inquire further, instead, offering to take her coat and bags. As they walked in the corridors, he explained the specifics of the mission to her. Padmé was shivering still, casting curious glances here and then. The man was still talking, explaining the way the educational program worked on Corellia. She soon learnt that this small town mainly contained farmers and illiterate people. She smiled inwardly.

Exactly what she was here for.

When she began to work on the program, she was only teaching Naboo people. After a couple of years spent teaching very old literature to eager pupils she came to see that most students were already well-versed in those areas. There was so little she could teach them as culture was so valued on Naboo. When one of her new pupils, who came from a nearby planet, arrived into her class and still didn't know how to even read Basic, she took it upon herself to teach her properly, staying late at school to help her as much as she could. But this girl was not enough. Studying the issue further, she discovered many planets, even entire systems, neglecting to grant education to most people. The leaders of these planets wanted to keep their leashes on people, maintaining them in ignorance and darkness.

Blood boiled in her veins the day she realized this.

There was a hint of a smile on her sister's face when she explained it to her family heatedly. That day, she decided to begin a program to help people who didn't know how to read on close planets. Soon enough, as the program became more and more successful, getting subventions from the Republic, she was moving further and further from Naboo discovering new worlds and sharing her knowledge. Padmé knew there had always been a part of her rising within, willing to go to the public place and change things. She wanted to be the voice of all those too weak to speak. When she was young, she had even considered entering the public service.

Her parents had refused to expose her to this kind of environment.

She couldn't be more grateful.

She wasn't made for politics. Too much corruption, from what she could see. Whenever she heard Chancellor Palpatine discussing bills in the Senate, she was astonished to see all those ungrateful Senators, like vultures around him, ready to take the power away from him. After all he had done for the galaxy and their planet, especially during this awful blockade…

No.

She liked her simple and free life. She helped others, teaching what she liked best in the world.

Literature.

When she wasn't off planet, taking part in various teaching programs, she was living near her parents home, close to her sister and soon enough, if the Force granted her wish, she would have a family of her own.

This thought brought her back to reality in a second.

She had forgotten to send a transmission to her husband. He hated seeing her off Naboo, so far from home, always worrying uselessly. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, picturing the discontent expression on his face. Sometimes, she almost treasured those moments far away from home, eager to discover new cultures and ways of life.

A small part of her always enjoyed challenges.

Redirecting her attention towards the man in charge of the program, she listened attentively. Fortunately, Corellians spoke Basic. It would be much easier to teach them.

"Most people here are underage but some of them are adults, wishing to learn so they can leave the planet or at least reach Coronet. Apart from the capital, Corellia is not a really interesting planet, you know."

They soon reached the second floor and her room. With a last smile, he left her luggage on the ground and left.

She smiled.

There was much work to be done. And she could hardly wait.

But first she had to call him. She didn't need other worries on her mind.

* * *

Padmé Naberrie looked at the childish faces in front of her, and then looked behind them, assessing the situation. More adults than she'd have thought. But challenges were interesting.

She introduced herself swiftly, beginning the first lesson enthusiastically. She was in the middle of her introduction, explaining to her audience how she wouldn't stay long here but they would manage the basics, and even start to learn Naboo literature, when a young man burst inside the room, blushing and muttering apologies before taking his seat in the last row.

She stopped her sentence, narrowing her eyes.

"Since you were here late, I'd like you to come closer, please."

The young man looked up. He was barely younger than she was. And somehow it was even more saddening to her. Once again, she was thankful for growing up on Naboo.

His eyes wouldn't leave her face yet and it was slightly unsettling.

Still blushing, he stood up at last, and reluctantly took his place in the first row. Satisfied, she resumed her introduction, taking the datapads she had brought with her and distributing them to her would-be pupils.

The young man avoided her eyes when she gave him his.

Frowning, she didn't think much of it and began teaching written Basic.

An hour later, she was growing desperate. Between the young children, who were completely lost and the grown-ups who didn't look like they understood anything of it either, grumbling because they needed something more concrete, she thought she would lose her mind.

She bit her lip, ready to rip her elegantly twisted braids out and decided to divide the assembly into different groups. Obviously, they didn't await the same thing from this program. Moving between the ranks, she leant down to help a young girl with her datapad. A few minutes later, she heard the young man mumbling something.

Surprised, she looked sideways to see him pointing to a young boy next to him, showing him the basics. Widening her eyes, she watched him as he explained what she had spent an hour saying to the young boy. The child looked relieved and happy he had finally understood something.

Smiling, she left the girl and approached the young man.

"You have already finished," she commented, standing next to him and peering above his shoulder.

He looked up, startled and blushed again.

Her eyes settled on his and she finally noticed he was quite tanned, more than someone who had lived on Corellia should be.

But what attracted her almost distractedly were his eyes.

She had never seen such blue eyes in all her life.

He looked away swiftly and nodded.

"You already knew how to read this, you should have told me." She said mind-absently.

He shook his head.

"No, your lesson was perfect." He blurted out and then stopped himself. "Things just come to me… easily…" he whispered almost inaudibly.

She watched him with curious eyes now. Her eyes were attracted to the faint scars on his wrists, the way he had so easily assimilated the first lesson and she knew this young man was something more than a late incomer into a group, like thousands of groups she had already taught…

"Miss?"

Her head whipped around and she left him, turning to a young woman behind.

She could almost swear his eyes had not left her, even her back turned to him.

The afternoon passed by quickly and soon enough, night had already settled outside. There was squirming and annoyed glances sent to the chrono behind her and she knew when to give up.

"Sorry for holding you out for so long." She said in apology. "You have worked hard the whole afternoon and I'm really glad of your progress."

Addressing them a last smile, she watched as the adults left swiftly and the children ran into their parents' awaiting arms right behind the door. She smiled when she heard one of the young girls commenting on her progress enthusiastically.

She lived to hear those comments.

It was only then she realized the young man had stayed behind slightly.

Her lips twisted up and she found herself smiling when he shifted on his feet nervously.

"You did more than all the others combined today," she said, not without a hint of admiration in her voice.

He looked up from his boots abruptly, eyes slightly widened as he heard her words.

"Thank you, Miss Naberrie."

"On my planet, we do not call married women 'Miss'," she said softly, showing the ring on her finger slightly.

"Oh."

That was all he said, his blue eyes suddenly settling on her hand a little bit sadly.

"I didn't know… Well, here, people don't wear rings." He elaborated.

The tone of his voice surprised her. He looked at once hardened and young. Much older in maturity and yet with this odd sense of innocence lingering.

"What's your name? You must be the only one who didn't say it to me."

"Anakin." He said, his eyes catching hers completely this time. "Anakin Skywalker."

"Then, I am glad to meet you, Anakin. I guess I'll teach you something special tomorrow. All of this is too easy for you. Are you sure you didn't take any-"

"No." he interrupted her. "I couldn't afford any courses. And before," his expression hardened momentarily. "Well, I couldn't at all."

Uncomfortable silence settled between them.

"Well, I have to go." He said slowly, looking reluctant to leave somehow. "My mother needs me at home."

And with a last smile, he left.

She found herself staring at the door for some time before gathering the datapads.


	2. Chapter 2

**  
**

Padmé grew even more fascinated with Anakin as the days went by. He was eager to learn the slightest things about literature, about her home, and always helped his classmates, even the young ones. She could swear she had an assistant.

Almost every day, he would linger behind after class and she would find herself discussing literature with him. Once, she had lost track of the time, speaking eagerly, feeling like a student all over again, passionate about the old Naboo authors.

Anakin listened silently, every now and then, commenting. She had downloaded several datas from the Holonet, encouraging him to continue his learning even whenever he could not come.

She soon learnt more about him. Knew he was living alone with his mother, that he had lived on Tatooine and she was excited to hear that because she had been there once, as it was not very far from Naboo and they laughed together as they criticized the planet. She also knew he was now working in a farm, essentially fixing droids and machines. What he loved most was flying, he told her with a dreamy gaze.

"I've won a podrace once." He had told her. "And with the money I earned I-"

He had trailed off and changed the subject. She knew not to push an issue further.

Padmé was becoming more and more comfortable with him and it began to scare her one day. That day she was so caught up in their discussion they stayed up much too late for a professor and her student and his eyes were suddenly too blue, too intense as he listened to her incessant babbling.

That day, she forgot to talk to her husband for the first time in a week.

* * *

"If only you could see this…" she told her husband a week afterwards. "This boy is really intelligent. It's such a shame he never got any access to education."

He smiled knowingly, the connection flickering slightly.

"I know. You've kept chattering about him from the first day."

She stopped swiftly.

"I've been doing that?"

Her husband smiled soothingly.

"Yes, you have. If I didn't know better, I'd start worrying."

He didn't look worried at all, only looked enthusiastic over whatever he had succeeded in drawing. He trusted her. Completely.

"I miss you, Padmé." He said suddenly.

She bit her lip and realized that all this past week, she had barely thought of her husband and the dreamy eyes that had charmed her when she was barely twelve.

"I miss you too. And I miss Naboo." She replied, guilt eating at her. She could only think of how she felt _changed_ somehow.

"Your family says hello. I think your mother is a little bit frustrated you are away again."

He sent her a meaningful glare and she understood right away her mother was not the only one being discontent. If she listened to him, she would never leave Naboo and help those who needed her.

_I would have never met Anakin_.

She fought the urge to sigh in frustration. How was it he was never far from her mind?

"I'll call you tomorrow, Palo." She whispered before shutting down the device.

After this conversation, she stopped her late hour talks with Anakin. She couldn't explain her reaction. She had done nothing wrong and yet she couldn't help but feel guilty. Anakin closed off instinctively when she told him to go home dryly. She hated it. He had never really been her student. She had not taught him that much, he had learnt everything on his own.

_But this is not professional_, she was telling herself repeatedly.

And she was starting to notice small details, things she shouldn't pay attention to.

How his eyes never left her, everywhere she moved inside the classroom. The sound of his laughter, something she only heard when they stayed late to talk because he looked so closed off in the classroom. The way she found herself studying his hands as they moved over his datapad swiftly.

And there was her heart, refusing to listen to her lately. It would skip a beat at odd times. Like when he smiled. It would beat slightly faster as she leant closer to assess his work.

Thinking of his sad nod when he bid her good night and the way he always seemed to look right into her soul, she lay awake the whole night, tossing in her bed.

* * *

"Did I do anything wrong?" he asked one night as the other students left the classroom.

She looked up from the datapads in her hands and shook her head, a little bit embarrassed.

"No, of course not, Anakin. I have held you up too much these past weeks. This is not professional."

She tried to say this with authority but failed miserably. His mouth was twisted up in what she had come to know as his familiar smirk and her heart skipped a beat.

"Besides," she added, putting the datapads in her bag and raising her chin to look into his eyes, "I'll be gone soon."

His eyes widened in surprise.

_A week_.

She would be gone in a week and there would be no blue eyes to haunt her on Naboo. She pushed all her nervousness behind the mask she had forged with years past teaching and dealing with financers to get credits for her program.

Strange how he seemed to go through her barriers anyway.

Even Palo never knew what was really going on behind the wall she had built around herself.

She cursed inwardly and looked away from his unsettling gaze, biting her lower lip. She tried to think of her husband back on Naboo and she succeeded in finding her composure again.

"Anakin-"

"I only wanted to tell you something." He interrupted her smoothly. He looked sad, she realized with a pang. "I'm giving up on the program."

"What?" she asked instantly, taking a step towards him and forgetting all about her previous reservations. "But why-?"

"I need to work at night now," he elaborated. "I need to earn more credits if I want to get out off this planet."

"I thought your mother wanted you to go on with your education?"

She felt so frustrated to see him giving up on studying when he could do so much, become something else than a poor farmer.

He smirked. "If I don't work at night, the farmers I'm working at will find someone else to help them for the harvest. And I will not let my mother with only one pay. It's hard to find a job around here."

His jaw was firm now. She only saw determination in his eyes.

"Education would be a great asset, you know."

"They don't care about education here." He shrugged. "I only wanted to know the basics before leaving the planet."

She sighed in frustration.

"It's such a shame, Anakin…" she whispered.

The room was suddenly too dark.

"A shame?" he whispered and suddenly he had taken a step towards her. She was frozen at her spot. "If you ask me to stay, I will." He said quietly.

Her eyes widened. "Don't do this for me." She snapped. "I'll be gone in a week anyway. You have to do this for yourself."

He shrugged. "I will go back to studying once I leave this planet."

Tense silence.

She cast her eyes down.

"Good luck then, Anakin." She whispered and tried to leave the classroom, her mind spinning suddenly.

"Wait."

His arm had caught hers as she went past him and she spun around, shocked.

"Could you bring me data-books again even if I'm not part of the program?" he asked very softly, looking embarrassed now.

She sighed inwardly though she could not figure out why.

"Of course, Anakin, I will."

* * *

He waved at her and grinned.

She found herself grinning in turn though the wind blew around her, swatting at her suddenly too thin dress and coat. The wind was sweeping his blond curls slightly as he finished putting the droid outside. She sighed and looked at her surroundings. She could hear the rustle of trees nearby and the waves of the ocean down by the cliff, the farm standing strong and proud in the middle near an endless meadow. She had not taken too much time to find the farm Anakin worked at, following his indications and rushing after her class to join him. Strange how she felt completely removed from the whole world, here on this cliff in the darkness, smelling the salty ocean down below. She saw Anakin's tall figure coming closer to an older man and shouting him something. Squinting slightly, she noticed the young man jogging to join her in the darkness.

His eyes shone as he reached her and even with the wind blowing around them, she found herself almost swept up in _something_ warm, enveloping them.

"I brought you the data-books." She yelled against the fierce wind blowing away her voice.

He nodded and took them into his callused hands, smiling. She turned to leave but he took her by the shoulders gently, stopping her.

"What is it?" she asked, frowning.

"I won't let you go back there," he shouted, pointing at the clouds gathering above them. "Storms are dangerous here."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not afraid of a little storm!" "It's not too far."

He shook his head. "No, my mother and I can shelter you for the night. Come!"

And with that, he took her hand and led her away from the farm.


	3. Chapter 3

**3/4**

Strange how Anakin's hand around hers felt comforting and oddly familiar. Padmé held on as he led them along a narrow path, almost dangerously flirting with the cliff. 

"It's a shortcut!" he yelled as the clouds gathered menacingly above them. The wind blew more and more harshly around them. "I think…" She fought the urge to roll her eyes but followed him nonetheless.

But it looked indeed like a shortcut for they were soon enough standing in front of a small house, lodged near the cliff, its lightened windows looking really attractive suddenly.

Right before it started to rain, they ran towards it and Anakin palmed the door open, ushering her inside as the door clicked shut behind them, still holding her hand.

"Mom, I'm home." He called out, passing his other hand through his slightly wavy hair and checking on her immediately. She smiled in return.

A middle-aged woman seemingly exited the kitchen, wiping her hands with a cloth. Her warm brown eyes settled on her instantly and surprise flickered on her face.

"Mom, this is Padmé Naberrie. You know, the teacher I talked to you about…" 

Recognition appeared in her eyes and she was now staring at her curiously.

"Oh, yes, of course." A smile appeared on her face and she looked at her son with a slight hint of amusement. "I thought you were a little bit older."

Padmé blushed though she did not know why. Then she realized she was still holding Anakin's hand and jerked it away from him.

"Hello, Mrs Skywalker," she said politely, finding her manners again.

"I told her she could stay over, is it all right?" Anakin asked softly, coming further inside the cosy house.

"Oh of course!" His mother responded warmly. "But please, call me Shmi." She said, taking Padmé's arm and leading her to a corridor. 

Anakin had already disappeared into what looked to be his room, seemingly changing from his dirty clothes. Shmi showed her a small room and brought some blankets, hastily tidying up.

"It's all right." Padmé stopped her, smiling warmly.

The simplicity and generosity this woman exuded touched her deeply. 

Later, she found herself eating with them and Shmi diverted the conversation to courses swiftly.

"I have to thank you for what you taught to my son." She said warmly. "We are coming from a poor planet and there is no chance for education for young people."

"I know." She sighed, cutting some bread and mind-absently handing some to Anakin before he even asked her. His blue eyes bore into hers in surprise and she looked away abruptly, refocusing on his mother. "This is why I set up this program. Despite all our advanced technologies and the Republic laws, there are still so many people not granted any education!"

"I'm not really surprised." Shmi sighed forlornly. "There are still people in slavery out there."

Padmé gasped. "Slavery? But the anti-slavery laws…"

"As you said, some planets don't acknowledge the Republic." She said calmly. "Tatooine for instance…"

Anakin sighed loudly.

"Could we talk about something else?"

His face hardened suddenly and he got up, beginning to put the food away as they finished. Padmé frowned, following him with her eyes as he moved to settle himself into a chair nearby, watching the storm outside. The little house was cracking beneath the assaults, creating a strange but safe atmosphere.

Shmi sighed and got up as well, reaching for a cloth to wipe the worn-out table. Padmé moved to help her but the woman shook her head soothingly, motioning for Padmé to take a seat near the fire in the chimney. It was cold and Padmé nodded gratefully. Sitting on the floor beside the fireplace to warm her hands, her eyes caught the glittering of the band on her finger. 

Thoughts of her husband filled her at once. She hadn't yet made her daily Holonet call to him. He would worry.

She sighed.

"Do you have the Holonet?"

Anakin looked away from the deluge outside and looked at her forlornly.

"No, we don't."

Casting a meaningful loaded glance to her ring, he looked away and refocused his attention on the window.

She swallowed. It was like he could sense what she was thinking about. At that moment, Shmi came to sit beside them and asked Padmé more about her experiences teaching Correllians. Padmé responded eagerly, pushing her worries about her husband – and Anakin – to the back of her mind.

Conversation with Shmi was comfortable. Padmé really came to appreciate this simple woman. She made her think of her own mother somehow, or of Sola when she was with her daughters. Somehow, even though they had no money and strived hard to live here, their house was warm and inviting and there was obviously much love here. Soon enough, they were all retiring inside their rooms. Padme's last glimpse of Anakin was the strange glance he casted at her before sliding into his room.

She couldn't help but think of him as she lay awake. She tossed and turned on the simple cot, blue eyes following her everywhere she went. The wood around her cracked in the darkness, the wind still blowing outside furiously. Pulling up the blankets around her, she shivered. Cold was infiltrating her bed and her teeth started to clash.

Giving up on sleep, she got up silently and exited her room, her nude feet sliding on the cold floor. To her surprise, fire was already burning in the chimney. Anakin was sitting in front of it, warming up his hands mind-absently.

He turned around, frowning though she had not made a sound, as if he could sense her.

"Not sleeping?" she whispered, taking a place beside him and warming her hands in turn, sighing in relief.

He shook his head but did not reply. Comfortable silence filled the dark room as they both rubbed their hands in front of the fire.

"Thank you." He said abruptly.

Her head whipped around to stare at him in surprise. His fire-lit face was stubbornly turned to the flames in front of them.

"For what?" she whispered.

He swallowed.

"For believing in me."

He sighed. "I…" Another deep sigh. "I used to be a slave. On Tatooine."

She looked at him sympathetically, waiting for him to continue.

"I won a podrace when I was thirteen. Some said I had Jedi abilities." He chuckled and shrugged. "I don't know if it's true but I know it's natural to me. I earned the credits behind my Master's back and my mother insisted I bought my freedom. When she was sold over to a Corellian farmer, I followed her and I worked hard to free her. I'm good at building and fixing things. Fortunately, the farmer who _bought_ her," his mouth twisted as if the very word repulsed him. "was afraid I would denounce him. Slavery is forbidden here. But I had to sell the droid I built to gain her freedom. I wonder where he is now…"

He fell silent and she swallowed against the lump in her throat.

"I don't know what to say. I never thought there could be slavery in the Republic. Even when I went to Tatooine, I- I'm so sorry, Anakin."

"Don't be." He shrugged. "Now I'm all right, we both are and it's all that matters." 

The anger behind his words betrayed him but she let it go. 

"Who knows?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe you do have Jedi abilities…"

He chuckled slightly and turned his head sideways to watch her. Instinctively, she looked at him and ended up breathless. He was suddenly too close. 

She looked away swiftly, fixing her gaze on the hypnotic fire in front of her. Guilt flooded her, even as her heart beat louder in her chest.

"Miss…" he was obviously stumbling with words.

She shook her head, still not daring to look at him in the eye.

"You can call me Padmé. I'm no longer your professor now."

A deep sigh next to her.

"You never really told me anything about you. How old are you?"

There was a slight teasing in his eyes when she turned to look at him. Why bother? They were friends now. There was no worry about not being professional.

"I'm 25."

He nodded. "Do you know I'm barely younger than you are?" he teased. "I'm 21." 

Padmé chuckled. "You look much younger." 

Smirking, she noticed the way his eyes darkened, his ego bruised. He caught the teasing in her eyes and relaxed slightly. But his gaze was still serious.

"When did you marry?" he murmured.

She looked away from him and swallowed.

"Two years ago." She whispered in return. "Actually, it's late according to Naboo standards. I was so caught up in my job I was barely thinking about settling down. And then," she shrugged. "It just happened."

"How?"

She frowned. Talking about her husband was the last thing she wanted now. Especially while she was sitting here next to Anakin in front of a fireplace.

"I met Palo when I was about 12." She whispered. "He was a little bit older than I was and he was in public service. He left it and went on to become an artist at the same time I started my studies to become a teacher. I stumbled on him about three years ago and… well, now we're married."

She didn't dare look at Anakin as she spoke. She failed to understand why he was so interested in her life back on Naboo. She could almost picture his jaw set as he sat next to her.

"Any children?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head. "I hope I'll have one soon. My sister has two wonderful kids."

Smiling, she lost herself in describing her life on Naboo. Anakin was listening to her intently.

"Naboo sounds like Corellia somehow. I mean, with the water and all…" he smirked. "When I arrived here, there was so much water I was fascinated. I still am, every time I see rain. So much water… you could drown into it."

He looked at her then and she lost herself in his gaze again.

"Padmé…" he whispered. Her heart tightened in her chest. The way he made it sound… It was reverent, soft. "I need to tell you…" he trailed off.

He sighed loudly.

"I think I have Jedi abilities." He said at last.

She frowned. She could swear this was not what he had wanted to tell her. And somehow it was better this way.

"Why?" she teased, a smile edging up on her lips.

"I dreamt of you, I mean, before meeting you." 

Her breath caught in her chest.

"What?" she stammered.

"Sometimes I see things before they happen. In my dreams. I saw you a month before you appeared to me."

She was frozen beside him, not knowing what to respond.

"From the moment I met you…" he trailed off. "I've been thinking of you constantly…" He stammered, gesturing helplessly beside her. 

His tone had shifted from teasing to seriousness in a split second and Padmé was completely lost, her eyes resolutely glued to the fire. "The closer I get to you, the worse it gets…" 

He came closer and she instinctively inched further away from him, alarm filling her mind.

"Please tell me what to do… I'll do anything that you ask." He was imploring her now. She looked at him and saw his blue eyes now two pools of pain settling on her.

"I'm married, Anakin." She said firmly, working up the courage to break his young heart.

It was final. He didn't blink.

"I know." He murmured. "It tortures me every day…" he looked away.

She sighed.

"It's just an infatuation, it will pass in time."

Who was she trying to convince?

He shook his head roughly and when he looked at her again, his eyes shone with determination.

"No…" He paused. "I know my heart belongs to you."

He was serious and she froze, looking at him in disbelief, her heart beating faster despite herself. He smiled at her sadly and got up, away from her. 

"But I'll never try to turn you away from-" he trailed off. "I just wish I met you two years ago."

There was such heartbreak in his voice she looked up swiftly. He didn't say another thing, turning to leave. She got up quickly, pressing the blankets around her trembling body as if shielding herself from him. 

"Anakin…" she whispered. "Are you serious about your dreams?"

He halted and turned around, smiling sadly.

"I lied."

Padmé frowned.

"About what?"

"I saw you in my dreams a long time ago. Not a month ago, years ago." 

His gaze was so intense, sad, and filled with this unnamed emotion that made her heart beat too loud in her chest. He took a tentative step towards her.

Instinctively, she took one towards him, trembling.

"And what's going to happen now?" she asked shakily.

He looked away. She could see tears in his eyes and was shocked to realize there were some in hers too.

"I'm going to regret not trying to meet you before for the rest of my life." He whispered hoarsely, suddenly looking much older than he really was.

And with that, he turned his back to her and left the small room. The wind blew more harshly outside. She dropped to the floor, clutching the blankets around her tightly, her vision blurring.

In her mind's eye, Padmé could see herself the day of her wedding. The nervousness and fear filling her as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing her mother's beautiful dress, she could see she was beautiful and she was marrying a nice man, one she had known almost since childhood. Then why had it felt so empty? She had almost turned away then but her sister had encouraged her further, claiming it was only nerves.

Only nerves.

Could it be that she knew then Palo was not the right one?

Tears fell on her cheeks silently and she shook her head, cursing herself. Anakin claimed he had Jedi abilities, claimed his heart belonged to her. He was young, he was deluding himself. And after all she had only known him for weeks. It was ridiculous. 

Completely ridiculous.

They had met by coincidence. And she was happy with Palo. She _loved_ him.

She would not let a _boy_ meddle with her marriage.

Her eyes rested on the ring around her fingers and she suddenly had this silly urge to rip it away from her skin. She suddenly had this silly urge to go into Anakin's room and make him repeat his heartfelt words. She bit her lip and chased the thought away forcefully.

She was a woman of principles, had always been. Somehow what hurt the most was that Anakin had the same ones. 


	4. Chapter 4

**  
**

They avoided each other's eyes the next morning during breakfast.

Padmé could sense Shmi had guessed something was wrong but the older woman didn't say anything. The weather was beautiful outside and she could hear the gentle lapping of the ocean at the shore below now. It was almost like last night had never existed.

_Almost_.

Her eyes drifted to Anakin's hands mind-absently. Then realizing that, she chastised herself and started chatting with Shmi, anything to take her mind off of her son.

"Anakin, you're going to be late…" His mother said suddenly, frowning as she looked at the chrono beside them.

He nodded, getting up hastily.

"I didn't sleep well last night." He mumbled.

Padmé looked down, suddenly finding the table very interesting.

Shmi frowned further.

"Another nightmare?" she whispered.

But Padmé had heard it and she looked up quickly, her eyes fixed on Anakin who was avoiding her gaze. The question sounded silly for a 21-year old man but she knew better. He shook his head.

"I haven't slept much…" He mumbled, leaving the room swiftly to take his tools.

Padmé watched him go sadly before turning to the older woman swiftly.

"It's true then?" she asked, eyes widened. "Anakin has… strange dreams?"

"He told you about it?" Shmi was frowning now, looking at her strangely.

Padmé blushed.

Still looking curiously at the younger woman, Shmi answered.  
"Anakin has always been different. He has some… abilities. He seems to know when things will happen and…" she trailed off.  
"It's like he can sense my feelings all the time. You know," she looked at her warmly now. "You're the first person he brings over here. Anakin used to be so impetuous, open to strangers when he was young but working this hard, away from everything, changed him. Now, he's quite introspected. Of course, he's still impetuous. He tends to act before thinking," she added, eyes shining with amusement. "But he closed himself off. Until he met you."

The warm gaze on her made Padmé flush. Shmi took her hand gently.

"You made him hope for a future, for something else than the farm he's working at and for that I am really grateful, Padmé."

Padmé nodded mind-absently and stood up to leave. Thanking Shmi profusely for her hospitality, she almost stumbled on Anakin, rushing out of his room.

"I'm going to accompany you back, if you wish." He mumbled when she regained her composure.

After bidding goodbye to his mother, she followed the young man, taking a less narrow path than the night before, thankfully. He was silent all the way until they reached the core of the village. He stopped abruptly and she couldn't help but silently admire the way the sunlight glistened on his hair and skin, his eyes even bluer now somehow.

"Forget about what I said last night, please." He said quietly, silent desperation in his eyes. "I don't want to spoil the time we have left."

She sighed in relief. "Me neither."

Then why was there a lump in her throat suddenly?

He smiled tentatively. "I'll try to come tonight for the next data-books if you don't mind."

She nodded and smiled as well. He was about to leave when something stopped him abruptly. He looked deep in thought.

"Are you happy, Padmé?" He asked out of nowhere.

She was about to tell him he had no right to ask this but instead, a voice, so unlike her own answered before she could think.

"Yes, of course."

It was automatic. People around her assumed she was happy. After all, she looked like she was happy. And yet, before Anakin, no one had really asked this to her. He nodded and avoided her eyes.

"I have to go." He said quietly.

He left quickly. He was probably late for his work at the farm. Padmé sighed forlornly, her eyes following his form until he disappeared in the distance.

As soon as she reached her room in the building of the foundation organizing the teaching program, she stripped from her clothes, sending a transmission to her husband almost immediately. He was not there.

Somehow she was relieved.

* * *

She looked around at her students. And smiled. She had achieved what she had come here to do. All her students had learnt Basic. Some of them had even expressed interests in going on with the studies. It was the best reward in the world.

"I'm so glad of the progresses you have made. I'm going to miss this class."

Silence. Applause. She blushed under the praise and thanked them. The students, all different in heights and ages, stopped at her desk as they exited the classroom, thanking her for taking the time to teach them. One of the children gave her a small toy and she blinked the tears away, ruffling the boy's hair gratefully.

She sighed in the suddenly silent room, sunlight still streaming through the window. The last day was always the hardest. She was always getting attached to her students somehow and the return to reality and the upcoming journey towards Naboo was hard.

It was harder now somehow.

For she would never see _him_ again.

"Come with me."

Her head whipped around to see him leaning in the entryway.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Padmé was immediately furious with herself. Why couldn't she control this stupid heart?

"What?" she stammered, getting up. "And what are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to work late at that farm?"

Anakin shook his head, extending a hand towards her.

"I asked my employer to be done earlier. I worked harder two nights in a row but now I'm here."

He smiled and motioned for her to follow him.

"I know you're leaving tonight. Come with me, please."

Glancing towards his outstretched hand, she made up her mind in a second.

"Wait a little. Let me pack my things first."

* * *

"It's beautiful!"

Breathing in the warm air, Padmé took in her surroundings. Anakin had taken her hand, guiding her down, until she reached the shore. Ocean, everywhere she looked. It felt like she was drowning somehow. It looked like Naboo and yet it was completely different. Strange birds flew across the vastness, their cries echoing in the distance. She smelled the salty air, heard the soothing lapping of the waves and grinned.

Turning her head to look at him, she realized he was watching her.

"This is my favorite place here. I wanted to show it to you," he told her quietly.

There was this glimpse of pain in his eyes again and somehow she wanted to go, to escape the suffering on his face. But this ache would never leave her, not since she glimpsed it in front of this fire, a week ago. He had done his best to sound cheerful and happy every time she saw him after that, and he was somehow, but to a certain degree. She could see the longing in his eyes.

It only echoed the longing in her heart.

The sudden realization made her flush and she stepped away from the water.

"I should go."

"There's still time…" he whispered. "Please…" His hand found hers again and the warmth of his palm against hers made her shiver unexpectedly.

The intensity in his eyes betrayed his words but she didn't have the time to dwell on the emotion in the blue pools for he had pulled her into the water with him.

The water splashed around her, on her face, her hair, her clothes. She looked at Anakin in surprise, sitting in the water, her clothes suddenly damp. He looked at her in return, his eyes twinkling with mischief and he laughed.

His laughter was contagious.

She launched at him and they struggled playfully. Like children.

She laughed and laughed until her belly hurt and she felt so warm to see the same grin on his face. She was young again and he was not her former student or her friend, he was just Anakin and she was just Padmé. Time passed by, not touching them. They soon quieted as she turned to watch the sunset, this beautiful deluge of colors on the ocean.

She felt free.

"It's beautiful…" she whispered as the waves lapped around her, and she was wet through and sitting on the beach and she didn't care, the warm liquid settling around her soothingly, the warmth of the sun on her skin…

"_You_ are beautiful…" he said quietly.

She froze and closed her eyes shakily. There was no trace of falseness in his voice, no charming words in his mouth. It was raw and honest. Anakin was like that. She shivered to realize she had come to know him this well. In the water, his hand reached out and caressed hers. She let him do it and hated herself for it.

The hand reached up and caressed her arm, so welcome and unwelcome at the same time. The touch was at once bold and shy, warm and making her shiver. All of a sudden his breath was against her cheek. She opened her eyes swiftly to be confronted to his wet face next to hers. She was trembling and he was shaking too and she shouldn't be doing this...

She got up out of sheer will and felt cold immediately.

Anakin was on his feet quickly, his face shining in the sunset light. She willed this memory printed in her mind, to treasure it forever. Why did she feel like she was leaving her heart on this planet, never to gain it again?

"If you're suffering as much as I am, please tell me," he said through clenched teeth. His face was only pain.

She couldn't tell him about the ache in her chest.

"Have you dreamt of this, Anakin?" she whispered instead.

He smiled sadly. "I can't foresee everything."

She looked away, breathing in the fresh air.

"I'm going to tell you what is going to happen." She said quietly, looking back at him and into his eyes, not flinching away no matter how hard it hurt.

"I'm going to take this pathway…" She pointed to the narrow path back to the top of the cliff behind his shoulders. "And you're going to let me go."

He looked down forlornly. She went past him and tried to smooth down her damp clothes.

His hand burned on her arm suddenly as he turned her around.

"I can't…" he stammered.

She closed her eyes and tried – weakly – to disengage herself from his grip.

"Padmé…" he whispered.

"We can't…" she said hoarsely, her eyes still closed, wanting him to never let go of her.

Then he choked out her name and pulled her close. She stopped fighting, breathing shakily. His hands circled her face, his lips pressing against her temple, on her cheeks… She let out a moan and suddenly, she was the one pressing her lips against his. He gasped against her mouth and in an instant there was nothing else in her mind but the feeling of his warm lips caressing hers gently at first, then desperately as she clutched him. She breathed in his scent, wanted to drown into him. But when Anakin's hands left her face to embrace her strongly, Padmé suddenly came back to her senses.

She gasped in shock and tried to escape his embrace but his arms were around her again, more desperately. He was whispering incoherent words against her skin, lips trailing on her neck so softly…

"No…" she stammered when he moved to kiss her again. "Oh, please, Anakin, stop. Stop this please." She begged him and pulled herself away from him with sheer will.

The tears streamed from her eyes as she stood before him, her heart naked and vulnerable.

"I have to take this path, you know I have to take it…" she murmured brokenly. Anakin moved as if he wanted to take her into his arms again. She was scared of her own reaction and stepped back.

"Please, let me go…"

And she waltzed away from him before she would change her mind and do something she would regret. She heard him drop to the ground behind her and her face twisted up in silent agony, the sobs held up inside her chest. She ran until she reached her rooms in the hostel. Until she reached the spaceport that would take her from Corellia. Until she had boarded the vessel and was fleeing from the planet.

She could feel something breaking inside her.

She looked through the view port, saw the planet become smaller and smaller, and then the streaks of the hyperspace lines.

Only then did Padmé sob.

She hid from the other passengers, muffling her cries behind her hands. She could still feel Anakin's lips against hers, could still hear his laughter in her ear.

The knowledge she would never see him again rooted inside her, breaking her in two, making her cry harder. She could not, would not break her vows, the ones she took before she met him even if it felt like dying. They were sacred by all the holy laws of Naboo, sacred to the man waiting for her on Naboo. A man that trusted her. And a man that she loved, right? She had settled down and…

Why did it feel like she could not breathe anymore?

It was useless to hide from the truth now.

She _loved_ Anakin. Had loved him ever since she looked into his eyes across that classroom in Corellia.

In her mind's eye she could still see him standing in front of her, trembling, looking so vulnerable, arms ready to reach out for her again. If he had stopped her, if he had pulled her against him again, would she have let him?

No.

She would have fought him and herself and she would have never broken down. She could not derail from the path she had chosen for herself so long ago. Her future, her whole life was on Naboo, right?

Her mind was filled with 'what ifs', as she tortured herself with many ways, many paths she could have taken that would have led her to him sooner, showing her the life she could have had with Anakin by her side. She shook on her seat, eyes riveted to the view port, her head aching.

She saw herself running away on her wedding day, saw herself starting her program on Corellia sooner, or even starting it on Tatooine and meeting him there, saw herself falling in love with Anakin and never leaving him.

But it would never be.

The Force was cruel, showing her how it felt to be alive before snatching it away from her.

What if she were to disembark from the transport, return to Corellia, just turn away from everything and run back into his arms? The wild thought scared Padmé. She was not like this! She thought and weighed the ups and downs until her head ached before taking a decision. Then, why did she want to…?

No.

It was too late.

Anakin would live his own life away from her. It could never be.

Her Holoconsole beeped in her luggage.

She knew it was Palo calling. Somehow, it was a sign, wasn't it? She wiped her tears away swiftly and worked up the courage to answer the beeping.

Her hands were trembling, her vision blurred.

She shut down the console. She couldn't talk to Palo now.

She needed to rebuild the wall around herself, needed to become Padmé, the _old_ Padmé again before reaching Naboo, the one whose heart was not beating like this in her chest. The one who would not stay late after work to talk with someone much younger than she was. The one who would not feel alive just by looking into someone's amazing blue eyes. The one who held duty and seriousness above all things.

That Padmé had everything she had ever dreamt of back on Naboo. A family, a nice husband. A nice home. A job she loved more than anything in the world.

But there was still this whisper in her mind, telling her that Anakin's eyes would follow her everywhere she went.

She looked at the vastness of space, the starlines making her head ache, and she felt empty.

Two words wouldn't leave her aching mind.

_If only_…

-End-


End file.
